Automatic guide for webs



Jan. 30, 1934- w. T. ARMSTRONG AUTOMATIC GUIDE FOR WEBS Filed July 22,1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 30, 1934. w. T. ARMSTRONG AUTOMATIC GUIDE FORWEBS Filed July 22, 9 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 30, 1934. w ARMSTRONG I1,945,411

AUTOMATIC GUIDE FOR WEBS Filed July 22, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 30,1934. w. T. ARMSTRONG 1,945,411

AUTOMATIC GUIDE FOR WEBS Filed July 22, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1551i ii4? F1015 5 M IQ Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEApplication July 22, 1930. Serial No. 469,779, and in Great Britain July26, 1929 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to automatic guides for travelling sheets.

The object of the invention is to provide an automatic device formaintaining in a desired course, wires, felts or similar endlesstravelling bands, hereinafter referred to as the wire, on a paper makingmachine, cloth drying machine or any machine in which a web of paper,cloth, rubber or similar material travels over rollers.

In the usual form of device, commonly termed an automatic guide, arevolving roller is placed across the width of the wire, the rollerbeing caused to revolve by contact with the wire.

The bearings of the roller are so arranged that the bearing at one endof the roller may slide, whilst the bearing at the other end of theroller is pivoted, so that if the wire deviates from the desired course,the sliding bearing of the roller is moved either with or against thedirection of the travelling wire, and the wire is caused to resume thedesired course.

The movement of the sliding bearing is usually obtained by thearrangement of a spade or feeler, or in some instances by two spades,maintained in contact with one or both edges of the wire, the spade orspades being free to move any transverse movement of the wire.

According to the invention a motor, automatically controlled by a feeleror feelers, is provided for causing displacement of said guide roller.

Preferably electrical contacts are arranged to operate either directlyor indirectly by the movement of a spade or spades, and according to thedirection of movement of the spades the cirsuit of an electric motor isthus completed for forward or reverse direction.

In the case of a paper making machine the guide may be operated by thewire itself making contact with metal spades or rollers arranged at eachside of themachine. When the wire is running central no contact is madewith either spade or roller but when the wire runs to one side contactis made and the guide motor is operated. When the wire moves to theopposite side contact is made with the other spade or roller and theguide motor moves in the opposite direction.

The electric motor may work on either an alternating current or a directcurrent supply, and through suitable gearing may give a sliding motiontoone of the bearings of the guide roller, thus providing the means ofcorrection of any transverse movement of the wire as above described.

Suitable electric limit switches may be provided to break the electricalcircuit of the motor should the sliding bearing of the guide rollerreach the predetermined limit of its travel in either direction.

The device may also be arranged for hand operation in the event of thefailure of the electrical supply, and the motor and gearing may beprovided with means of rapid disconnection for hand operation.

In the case of the wire being driven electrically the supply of theelectric current for the motor driving the automatic guide couldconveniently be arranged from the circuit of the electric motor drivingthe wire.

The object of this inventionis to render unnecessary the series oflevers, links and bearings between the spade and the guide rollerbearing as arranged on mechanical guides and to provide a connectionbetween the spade and the guide roller bearing which will eliminate thefailures, frequent on mechanical guides, due to dirt, fibre, water andother foreign matter.

In addition, the object of this invention is to obviate the necessityfor the continual movement of wearing parts and to provide a means ofacceleration of the rate of movement of the guide roller bearing,thereby accelerating the rate of correction of any transverse movementof the wire.

If the transverse movement of the wire is slight, the rate of correctionmay be comparatively slow, owing to the guide motor not reaching itsfull speed before the correction has been effected; but if thetransverse movement of the wire is considerable, the motor mayaccelerate up to its maximum speed, thus providing the means ofacceleration of the rate of movement of the guide roller bearing abovementioned.

Referring to the accompanying sheets of explanatory drawingsz- Figure 1is a plan showing in solid lines the guide roll in its central position,and in dotted lines the guide roll moved against the direction of thetravelling wire. A portion of the wire is also indicated.

Figure 2 is a similar plan, but showing in dotted lines the guide rollermoved in the direction of the travelling wire.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the guide roller shown in solid lines,in its central position, and in dotted lines moved against the directionof the travelling wire. The sliding bearing with operating gear is alsoindicated in solid lines. 11 0 Figure 4 is a similar end elevation butshows in dotted lines the guide roller moved in the direction of thetravelling wire.

' Figure 5 is a side elevation of the sliding bearing of the guideroller showing suitable operating gear.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the guide roller showing the spade incontact with the edge of the wire, the spade being carried on a rodpivoted at a point below the spade.

Figure '7 is a similar end elevation showing the spade carried on a rodbut pivoted at a point above the spade.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 show single mercury switches of the two-way typeoperated by the spade, in difierent positions of the spade.

Figures 11, 12 and 13 show double mercury switches of the one-way typeoperated by the spade, in different positions of the spade. 1

Figure 14 is a diagrammatical cross section through the wire showingmetal spades arranged at both sides of the wire.

Figure 15 is a similar diagrammatical cross section through the wire butshowing metal rollers arranged at both sides of the wire.

The same reference letters in the above figures indicate the same orsimilarparts.

In Fig. l the guide roller 0: is indicated in solid lines in its centralposition, the wire edges being indicated by the letters bl), thedirection of the travelling wire by the arrow c and the direction ofrotation of the guide roller by the arrow d. The guide roller is alsoshown in dotted lines in a position a moved against the direction of thetravelling wire, the edges of the wire also in dotted lines, beingindicated by the letters b b The guide roller a is pivoted in a swivelbearing at point e, a sliding bearing being arranged at the other end ofthe roller. If the wire tends to move into the position b b the guideroller will be moved into the position a which will cause the wire toregain its central position 171). If the wire tends to move into theposition 19 17 indicated in Fig. 2, the guide roller will be moved intoposition (1 also indicated on. Fig. 2, which will similarly cause thewire to regain its central position bb. 'Fig. 3 shows an end elevationof the guide roller it, carried on a sliding bearing 1 having aprojection g which is threaded to receive the screw spindle h. Thesliding bearing is carried on a fixed bracket f At the end of thespindle his attached a worm wheel 2', which meshes with the worm 1',which in turn is driven, either directly or through suitable gears by anelectric motor 'k. Alternatively the bearing 1 may be moved through anyother suitable gearing bythe motor k. A handle or handwheel Z isconnected to the spindle h, arrangement being made for disconnections bymeans of a clutch cast with the boss of the handwheel, or by anyothersuitable means. The guide roller is also indicated in dotted lines, inthe position a to which position it has been moved by the rotation ofthe screwed spindleto correct the tendency of the wire to move into theposition b b indicated in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 4, which is a similar end elevation, the guide roller is shownin dotted lines, in a position a to which position it has been moved tocorrect the tendency of the wire to move into the position b b'indicated in Fig. 2. It will be noted in Fig. 3 that in order to movethe guide roller from the position a to the position a the motor is willrun in a certain direction, whereas in Fig. 4 to move the guide rollerfrom the positional to the .position a the motor is will run in anopposite direction to thatin Fig. 3, in each case the movement havingbeen effected through the medium of the spade and contacts.

Typical directions of rotation of the screw spindle h. and of the motoris are indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, and it will be noted that thedirections of rotation in Fig. 4 are opposite to those in Fig. 3, theactual directions of rotation, however, varying with the means ofgearing employed.

The elevations on Figs. 6 and 7 show the guide roller a and the spade nin contact with the wire 0, the spade being carried by a rod which maybe pivoted either at a point p below the spade, as indicatedinFig. 6, orat a point 10 above the spade as indicated in Fig. 7. The spade orspades may be arranged, supported in either of the two methods above, oneither one or both sides of the wire, and in a position either in closeproximity to the guide roll as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, or at any otherpoint of the wire. The pivots p and p may be arranged in such a positionthat one spade is maintained in contact with the wire, or with a spadearranged on both sides of the wire, the wire may not touch the spadewhen running between certain predetermined limits.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show the spade n fitted with a mercury switch q withelectrical connections r, s and t. Fig. 7 indicates the spade 11.against the wire edge in its central position I), also indicated inFigs. 1 and 2, and it will be noted that the mercury m in this positionof the switch (1 is making contact with the electrical connection 5.only, with the result that the motor is does notv operate. In Fig. 8 thespade n is against the wire edge in the position b also indicated inFig. 2. The mercury m in this position of the switch q is making contactwith the electricalconnections s and 75, causing the motor k, indicatedin Fig. 4, to rotate in a direction suitable to bring the guide rollerfrom its central position a to the dotted position a also shown in Figs.2 and 4. The guide roller in this position a will then cause the wire toregain its central position bb. Fig. 9 indicates the spade n against thewire edge in the position b also indicated on Fig.1. The mercury 17?, inthis position of the switch q is making contact with the electricalconnections 1 and s, causing the motor is, shown in Fig. 3, to rotate ina direction suitable to bring the guide roller from its central positiona to the dotted position 11 also shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The guideroller in this position a will then cause the wire to regain its centralposition bb.

Figs. 11, 12, and 13 show the spade n fitted with double mercuryswitches q and q with electrical connections u, o, w and at. ,It will benoted that the connections u and v are arranged nearer the wire edgethan connections 11; and rcp Fig. 11 indicates the spades 11. againstthe wire edge in' its central position I) also indicated in Figs. 1 and2, and the mercury m in this position of the switches is not makingcontact with any of the electrical'connections with the result that themotor is does not operate. In Fig. 12 the spade n is shown against thewire edge in the position b also indicated in Fig. 2. The mercury m inthis position of the switches q and q makes contact with the electricalconnections w. and :11, causing the motor 7c, shown in Fig. 4, to rotatein a direction suitable to bring the guide roller from its centralposition a to the dotted position (1 also shown in Figse2 and i. Theguide roller in this position a Will then cause the wire to regain itscentral position bb. Fig. 13 indicates the spade n against the wire edgein the position b also indicated on Fig. 1. The mercury m in thisposition of the switches q and q makes contact with the electricalconnections u and v causing the motor k, shown in Fig. 3, to rotate in adirection suitable to bring the guide roller from its position a to thedotted position a also shown on Figs. 1 and 3. The guide roller in thisposition a will then cause the wire to regain its central position bb.

. Fig. 14 is a diagrammatical cross section of the wire, shown in solidlines in its central position bb in close proximity to metal spades yand y arranged at both sides of the wire. Electrical connections arearranged from these spades so that when the wire moves into the positionindicated by chain dotted lines b b contact is made with the spade y andthe motor is will rotate in a certain direction. When the wire movesinto the position indicated by the dotted lines b 12 contact is madewith the spade g and the motor 7c will rotate in the opposite direction,causing the correction of the wire as previously described.

Fig. 15 is a similar diagrammatical cross section in which rollers z and.2 take the place of the spades y and y so that less frictional areasmay exist.

I declare that what I claim is:

1. An automatic guide arrangement for webs comprising a guide roller,bearings for said guide roller, an electric motor, gearing between theshaft of said motor and one of said bearings, whereby said guide rollercan be displaced to one side or the other to maintain the web in apredetermined path, pivoted fingers adapted to contact with the edges ofsaid web when the web is displaced from the predetermined path andhaving an unlimited and unobstructed travel, a switch case mounted oneach of said pivoted fingers, electric contacts in the circuit of saidmotor in said switch case and. a freely displaceable element moving insaid switch case under the action of gravity to bridge said contacts.

2. An automatic guide arrangement for webs comprising a guide roller,bearings for said guide roller, an electric motor, gearing between theshaft of said motor and one of said bearings, whereby said guide rollercan be displaced to one side or the other to maintain the web in apredetermined path, fingers adapted to contact with said web when theWeb is displaced from the predetermined path and having an unlimited andunobstructed travel, a switch case mounted on each finger, electriccontacts in said switch case in the circuit of said motor, freelydisplaceable elements moving in said switch case under the action ofgravity to bridge said contacts and pivots supporting said fingers abovetheir point of contact with the web, so that they are displaced againstgravity by the edges of the web when the latter leaves the predeterminedpath.

3. An automatic guide arrangement for webs comprising a guide roller,bearings for said guide roller, an electric motor, gearing between theshaft of said motor and one of said bearings whereby said guide rollercan be displaced to one side or the other to maintain the web in apredetermined path, switch contacts for controlling the energization anddirection of movement of said electric motor, and means operated by theweb when the web is displaced from the predetermined path for closingsaid switch contacts selectively, said closing means having an unlimitedand unrestricted travel when operated by the web and operating duringsuch displacement of the web to maintain the selected switch contactsclosed until the web returns to its predetermined path withoutadditional load on the web irrespective of the extent of its deviationfrom the predetermined path.

WILLIAM THOMAS ARMSTRONG.

